4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

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mileagemike25000
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4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by mileagemike25000 » April 1st, 2012, 9:16 pm

We decided to avoid rain in the gorge and headed out to the northern TH to Swale Canyon. The parking lot was full and we saw a large group of hikers heading west toward the Klickitat River, opposite of the direction we were travelling.
1 Klickitat Trail Swale Canyon Northern TH_(1).JPG
Our first glimpse of Swale Creek kind of shocked us as the flow is normally low and more like a drainage ditch!
2 First glimpse of raging creek!_(1).JPG
We crossed the first railroad bridge and found even the feeder stream looked pretty impressive!
3 Feeder Stream looks impressive too!_(1).JPG
And many of the trees that are normally outside the main flow of the creek were enveloped by the high water!
4 Closer look at raging Swale Creek_(1).JPG
We reached the first of several homestead's that appear to be abandoned? Does anybody know who owns this land and if it really is abandoned?
5 First abandoned homestead_(1).JPG
We crossed the creek at another railroad bridge and when I looked down I was amazed at the turbulence and flow rate!
6 Looking fairly turbulent below bridge_(1).JPG
And yet another view along the trail.
7 Swale Creek raging again_(1).JPG
There were a number of streams that flowed over the trail that required a bit of footwork to keep our boots dry.
8 Stream flowing onto trail!_(1).JPG
The views of Swale Creek just kept getting more impressive as we hiked south. Here is a view at another feeder stream crossing.
9 Impressive view of creek_(1).JPG
We are pleased to see that there is no lack of talent in arranging the various railroad parts into artistic masterpieces!
10 More railroad parts art_(1).JPG
Arriving at a long bridge that was spanning the creek, my wife saw the spaces between railroad ties and decided this was her stopping point!
11 The wife wouldn't cross this one with the creek visible through the ties!_(1).JPG
And I could see her point given the raging creek 10-15ft below the bridge!
12 Cannot say I blame her with this view of the creek going under the bridge, but I crossed anyway!_(1).JPG
But I crossed anyway and she waved me on to continue the hike (for a short distance) alone! I passed by the remains of another deer.
13 Deer Carcass remains_(1).JPG
The creek is sure looking like a river at this viewpoint!
14 Swale Creek looks more like a river!!!_(1).JPG
I finally turned around at a gate that led up a road that wasn't on the main trail. I met back up with my wife and we started hiking back to the car.

On the way back we bumped into another group of hikers. In fact the only hikers we saw all day.
15 Met hikers, Ron on right starting PCT hike this week!_(1).JPG
The interesting part of our meeting is that the gentleman on the right, Ron (aka. 26 Wedding Gowns) is starting the PCT hike in Southern California on Friday, April 6. We got his approval to mention that he has a website at http://www.hiking26.com. He has an interesting site that will put a smile on your face! The short of his story is that he plans on hiking all 2600 miles of the PCT in 26weeks and wearing 26 different wedding gowns! He is a very nice and friendly person and we wish him the best and success on his journey!

Have a great hike!

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Charley
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by Charley » April 1st, 2012, 11:50 pm

Is Ron selling wedding dresses? If so, that would be the most random thing ever to pop up on this forum!

I've never seen Swale Canyon looking like that before! It makes sense, given the scoured rock on the creek beds that I've seen in lower water times when I've been there. I don't guess it's enough to wipe out any of those old railroad bridges?
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

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mileagemike25000
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by mileagemike25000 » April 2nd, 2012, 4:49 am

When Ron explained it to us we didn't quite get what he was doing. I thought he was going to carry them with him, not wear them, until I saw his site at home. I do know that he quit his job and is using the wedding dress theme to get funding to do the PCT. If nothing else it's a great story and I'm going to have to follow his progress! Ron also mentioned that he is selling some t-shirts and other items. All 3 of the hikers had t-shirts with his logo on it they showed off to us.

I've also never seen Swale Creek look so turbulent. The railroad bridges we have crossed are all quite solid, from what I can see, but you can't underestimate the power of flowing water!

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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by drm » April 2nd, 2012, 7:09 am

Some of those houses have certainly been occupied and lived in very recently (like last year), and I would assume still so, unless the owners decided to move on recently. They were among the people who were not exactly thrilled about the road to their previously extremely private homes becoming a public hiking and biking route.

I've never seen Swale Creek that high. I expect it will go down pretty quickly as I don't think it's headwaters goes very far above the upper trailhead.

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Peder
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by Peder » April 2nd, 2012, 7:59 am

mileagemike25000 wrote:Ron (aka. 26 Wedding Gowns) is starting the PCT hike in Southern California on Friday, April 6. We got his approval to mention that he has a website at http://www.hiking26.com. He has an interesting site that will put a smile on your face!
That 26 Wedding Gowns site is a riot! I have trouble wrapping my mind around hiking the entire PCT wearing wedding dresses, although I notice that he wisely omits the high heels! Soon hiking may go highbrow and feature at the Portland Art Museum: According to the last posting under March 2012, Ron is "nominated for the third Contemporary Northwest Art Awards (CNAA) exhibition at the Portland Art Museum."

Thanks for the trip report, that creek sure was raging!
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by Waffle Stomper » April 2nd, 2012, 8:21 am

Finally a use for a wedding gown after the event. Particularly like the shelter :lol:
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Born2BBrad
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by Born2BBrad » April 2nd, 2012, 12:46 pm

Hey Mike, I seem to keep following you. You went back to Swale Creek a second time and so did I. The creek sure is raging. It’s hard to imagine that it is barely a trickle in late summer.

I’m glad you liked the railroad part junk art. I was inspired by the art seen on the upper portion of the trail, so I made my own this time. Carrying 40+ lbs of old iron was a lot of work, but I had fun.
Image

Regarding buildings there, I’m not sure how far you went, but there are several occupied home sites further up the canyon. I don’t know what people do there to make a living, but some of the homes and yards looked scary. I wouldn’t want to go knocking on their door.

One of them had a huge boat parked in the yard. What’s up with that?
Image

Great TR,
Brad
Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.
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mileagemike25000
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by mileagemike25000 » April 2nd, 2012, 7:35 pm

Dean - There are several homes that still look occupied and one seems to have a generator going all the time. I also noticed that there is one yard that looks like a junk heap with several vehicles parked there. Almost looks like that person is a hoarder by the amount of stuff in the yard? I believe that yard is across from the lot with the boat that Brad's picture shows.

Peder and Waffle Stomper - The wedding gown theme is quiet hilarious and it is nice to see gowns used that are usually boxed up and moth balled! Ron did show me his gore-tex trail shoes ( look like trail runners shoes) that he will be wearing during his journey, as shown below.
Ron's trail shoes.JPG
Brad - I do like the art and it's always a pleasant surprise to come upon it on the trail! It does look like a large effort was put into it and was a real backbreaker! We did make it way past the homesteads as you can see in my hiking map and stopped at a gate that went uphill away from the trail where there could have been more homes?
Swale Canyon Hike.JPG
Thanks all for the input and good hiking!

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Charley
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by Charley » April 2nd, 2012, 9:50 pm

Maybe if Swale Creek keeps rising, they'll get some use out of that boat, eh?
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mileagemike25000
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Re: 4/1/12 Swale Canyon Hike /Creek Was Muddy & Raging!

Post by mileagemike25000 » April 3rd, 2012, 3:52 am

I'd like to know how the people drive to their homes in that area without driving on the trail? I saw a sign next a road that crossed the trail near the first homesteads that said something like "No Vehicles Beyond This Point"!

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